How To Buy Stock In

How to buy and sell Tesla stock (TSLA)

4 February 2019

We value our editorial independence, basing our comparison results, content and reviews on objective analysis without bias.
But we may receive compensation when you click links on our site. Learn more about how we make money from our partners.

Will this company’s cutting-edge tech pay out or fail out?

With outbursts from Elon Musk causing widespread speculation about his and Tesla’s future, some investors are backing away from this multinational automotive and energy company. Others, however, are convinced that now is the best time to jump on board.

Tesla’s recent stock performance

Take a look at Tesla’s stock price performance over the past several months. Monitoring market performance is just one aspect of the research you should do before investing in a company like Tesla — past performance is no indication of future results.

Senior staff turnover. Executives are constantly changing, which is not a good indicator of stability or a level company culture.

Tesla’s technical performance

Technical analysis is the mathematical study of a stock’s price based on its recent trends. There are a number of ways to analyze market trends. Here’s a summary of what several key technical indicators are saying about Tesla’s current stock trend, according to charting service TradingView.

Compare up to 4 providers

Ways to stay up to date with Tesla shares

When buying or selling stock in a company, keep an eye on current affairs related to the company, such as:

Financial reporting. It’s good practice to know when Tesla will be releasing its financial reports; this will let you know how the company is performing and will have a big impact on the stock price. Tesla reports annually on December 31st, as well as quarterly throughout the year.

Company news. Is Tesla planning to release a new car model in the next few months? Is it looking to move into a new country or market? Has Elon Musk done anything controversial? These types of events will have an impact on the share price of Tesla.

Wider news. Be aware of other external events and news that may have an impact on Tesla’s stock price, such as gas or electricity prices.

Does the company pay dividends? If a company pays dividends, they pay some of their profits back to shareholders. Currently, Tesla does not pay dividends on their shares.

Shareholder meetings. These are often held annually and invite large shareholders to attend meetings and vote on matters relating to the company. It’s a good idea to know when these are, as they may speak to the direction of the company.

Questions to ask before you invest in any company

Before deciding to invest, consider these important questions:

What does the company do? Make sure you know how a company works and exactly what it does before investing.

Is it profitable? Take a look at Tesla’s quarterly or annual earnings reports to find out.

Who are the main competitors? Before investing, figure out whether the company is the market leader, a newcomer, a fast-growing disrupter or getting pushed out of the market. If the company you’re considering investing in operates globally, keep an eye on foreign competition as well.

Who runs the company? Find out who the senior managers of the company are, as well as the CEO, CFO and board members. If a company’s leadership is constantly shifting, that can be a warning sign that it’s unstable.

Is the company’s position sustainable? Is the product or service they offer something that will still be valuable in 5, 10, or even 20 years? Trendy companies can work for short-term investments, but if you’re in it for the long haul, make sure the company is sustainable.

Is there room for future growth? What’s the long-term outlook for company? Has it reached its maximum size?

Bottom line

Tesla’s quirky CEO and inability to hit deadlines indicate that its stocks aren’t exactly low risk. However, its cutting-edge technology and financial performance over the last several years have convinced some investors that it’s a worthwhile risk.

No. In August of 2018, Elon Musk tweeted that he was considering taking Tesla private. The SEC found no truth to that claim, and both Musk and Tesla were ordered to pay hefty fines. After the incident, Elon Musk stepped down as chairman, though he remains CEO of the company.

Questions and responses on finder.com are not provided, paid for or otherwise endorsed by any bank or brand. These banks and brands are not responsible for ensuring that comments are answered or accurate.

We endeavor to ensure that the information on this site is current and accurate
but you should confirm any information with the product or service provider and
read the information they can provide. If you are unsure you should get independent
advice before you apply for any product or commit to any plan.

finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that
aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we
are independent, we may receive compensation from our partners for featured placement
of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on
certain links posted on our site.

Thank you for your feedback.

Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.

Advertiser Disclosure

finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which finder.com receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. finder.com compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.